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PM Carney names former minister Wilkinson as next ambassador to the EU

PM Carney names former minister Wilkinson as next ambassador to the EU

Prime Minister Mark Carney named former cabinet minister Jonathan Wilkinson on Thursday as the next ambassador to the European Union. Wilkinson confirmed the news in a post to X after sources close to Wilkinson confirmed the new role to CTV News. The appointment has been speculated upon since as early as last September. In a letter posted online, Wilkinson said...

Ottawa announces planned defence bank to be headquartered in Canada

Ottawa announces planned defence bank to be headquartered in Canada

Canada has been selected to host a multinational bank to provide "long-term, low-cost financing" for defence projects by NATO members and allies, the federal government said Wednesday. The Globe and Mail newspaper first reported the decision following the end of multinational negotiations earlier Wednesday that were hosted in Montreal. A news release issued late Wednesday says the defence bank will...

Oil prices hit new wartime high before easing, as few signs of breaking stalemate with Iran- Prices briefly rose about $126 US, the highest since March 2022

Oil prices hit new wartime high before easing, as few signs of breaking stalemate with Iran- Prices briefly rose about $126 US, the highest since March 2022

The price of Brent crude oil briefly surged past $126 US a barrel early Thursday as stalled U.S.-Iran talks raised doubts over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a permanent end to the Iran war. Brent crude to be delivered in June jumped 3.3 per cent to $121.90 after briefly soaring past $126 per barrel, the highest since...

Conservative MP Jamil Jivani returns to Washington to meet with U.S. trade rep

Conservative MP Jamil Jivani returns to Washington to meet with U.S. trade rep

Conservative MP Jamil Jivani was back in Washington on Wednesday with a handful of Tory colleagues for a meeting with Canadian business interests and United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Canadian Ambassador Mark Wiseman was also in attendance. The event was hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada and happened as Greer has been claiming that Canada has...

Liberals are pitching a brand new police agency for financial crimes. How would that work?

Liberals are pitching a brand new police agency for financial crimes. How would that work?

Finance Department says Financial Crimes Agency would be distinct from RCMP. The Liberal government is looking to set up a new federal law enforcement agency dedicated to financial crimes, a dramatic undertaking to shake up how money laundering and fraud are investigated in Canada. "Canada has just, what feels like all of a sudden, established a new federal police agency,"...

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Canadian resolve unshaken in face of trade threats; majority have confidence in negotiators to deliver deal - Confidence in Carney has increased by nine points since September

Canadian resolve unshaken in face of trade threats; majority have confidence in negotiators to deliver deal - Confidence in Carney has increased by nine points since September

The deadline for the joint review of the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement looms as the war of words between Canada and U.S. officials intensifies. There appears much work to be done before the trilateral talks begin. Notably, the U.S. and Mexico have set a date to discuss their respective positions on the trade pact, while a Canada-U.S. one remains absent from the...

Alberta politicians and businesses are essential to making the case against separatism.

Alberta politicians and businesses are essential to making the case against separatism.

71% of Albertans don't want to leave Canada. 17% do. Who can influence the other 12% and what will matter to them? 120 years ago Alberta became a Canadian province. This year, residents may or may not have a vote on whether they want to remain. The proposed questions of the Smith government aren’t directly on this question - they...



Opinion

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Bravo, Charles! The real King schooled the faux one

Bravo, Charles! The real King schooled the faux one

As a royal, Charles’s history has been marked by promise unfulfilled and unending frustration. It’s been a life in an antechamber beset by controversy and scandal surrounding him or his wider family, all as he waited forever for the Crown – only to be greeted by cancer, for which he is still being treated, upon attaining it. It’s like Charles...

The long and whining road of Nate Erskine-Smith’s Liberal leadership bid

The long and whining road of Nate Erskine-Smith’s Liberal leadership bid

Nate Erskine-Smith is a politician in a pickle of his own making. Once again, he pines to be premier. Now, he has a four-step plan to get there.

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Success rate for basic training in Canadian military drops, report says

Success rate for basic training in Canadian military drops, report says

The success rate for basic training in the Canadian military has dropped to 77 per cent over the past fiscal year as the Canadian Armed Forces grapple with the impact of recruiting changes designed to boost enrolment, according to a leaked internal report. That compares with a historical average of 85 per cent, according to an internal January, 2026, report...

Alberta politicians and businesses are essential to making the case against separatism. 71% of Albertans don't want to leave Canada. 17% do. Who can influence the other 12% and what will matter to them?

Alberta politicians and businesses are essential to making the case against separatism. 71% of Albertans don't want to leave Canada. 17% do. Who can influence the other 12% and what will matter to them?

71% of Albertans don't want to leave Canada. 17% do. Who can influence the other 12% and what will matter to them? 120 years ago Alberta became a Canadian province. This year, residents may or may not have a vote on whether they want to remain. The proposed questions of the Smith government aren’t directly on this question - they...

Politician's Pen

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Mark Carney and Danielle Smith are about to define Canada’s climate future

Mark Carney and Danielle Smith are about to define Canada’s climate future

Canada is at a crossroads. In the coming days and weeks, the federal government will decide whether the country compromises its climate commitments or embraces a more sustainable path towards a greener future.

Nova Scotia could be a natural gas superpower, too

Nova Scotia could be a natural gas superpower, too

Its natural gas reserves have the potential to enrich its people and power the world. Let’s get some shovels in the ground



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Carney’s current solid footing won’t last forever

Carney’s current solid footing won’t last forever

The PM's economic transformation agenda needs to deliver some visible and impactful results in the next 12 to 18 months, or another line of vulnerability will open up. One year in as prime minister, and Mark Carney is arguably at the top of his political game. He just secured a majority government through some byelection wins and five floor crossings...

Separatists stick with Premier Smith, for now. What happens when they lose the referendum?

Separatists stick with Premier Smith, for now. What happens when they lose the referendum?

The real battle is inside the UCP. Alberta’s separatist drive isn’t really a fight for the future of Canada. It’s a battle for the United Conservative Party. The latest polling from Janet Brown, commissioned by the CBC, shows separatist support is stuck at 27 per cent, while 67 per cent will vote against leaving Canada.

Carney Liberals need to save Canada, not the world

Carney Liberals need to save Canada, not the world

It is a time-honoured parliamentary tradition for finance ministers to congratulate themselves on making more progress than can possibly be justified by the facts. François-Philippe Champagne was no exception, as he presented his government’s spring fiscal update in the House of Commons on Tuesday. He said his government is spending less, so that it can invest more, and added that...

The 2026 Spring Economic Update: Fiscal Dividends Get Allocated

The 2026 Spring Economic Update: Fiscal Dividends Get Allocated

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne tabled the Spring Economic Update (SEU) in Parliament on April 28, 2026 – six months after the fall budget and on the one-year anniversary of the federal election; a symmetry between the political and financial cycles that underscored Prime Minister Mark Carney’s economic credentials.

Liberals, Conservatives haggle over a deficit that is both smaller and larger

Liberals, Conservatives haggle over a deficit that is both smaller and larger

Though loquacious by nature, the finance minister wasted relatively little time Tuesday getting to the relatively good news. "Mr. Speaker, [these] are serious times and Canadians expect us to be good stewards of our economy and manage our public finances with thoughtful fiscal discipline," François-Philippe Champagne told the House of Commons as he presented the federal government's first spring economic...

Canada’s ‘New Government’ has no interest in arresting our economic decline

Canada’s ‘New Government’ has no interest in arresting our economic decline

If you have been wondering what meaning to attach to that irritating phrase the Carney Liberals use to describe themselves, “Canada’s New Government” – which was irritating enough when it was first employed, under Stephen Harper, when it was actually a new government – wonder no longer. As this Spring Economic Update makes abundantly clear, it means nothing whatever. Or...



Mark Carney’s fiscal juggling act is focused on the here and now for Canadians

Mark Carney’s fiscal juggling act is focused on the here and now for Canadians

“Let me make it real for you.” In that one short, sharp sentence, Finance Minister François Philippe Champagne acknowledged the political juggling act that Mark Carney’s government is trying to pull off as it embarks on its second year of power.

Patty Hajdu just put her foot in it again, and she can only be boosting Tory unity

Patty Hajdu just put her foot in it again, and she can only be boosting Tory unity

Nothing is likely to shore up Conservative esprit de corps like the sight of Patty Hajdu rising in the House of Commons and accusing the Official Opposition of being “against Canada.”

Carney's new fund is for corporate welfare, not sovereign wealth

Carney's new fund is for corporate welfare, not sovereign wealth

Congratulations, Canada! On Monday, our nation joined an exclusive club: countries with sovereign wealth funds. Norway, Kuwait and other resource-rich nations have long tapped royalties and budget surpluses to fund investment vehicles: in this era of geopolitical uncertainty and an erratic neighbour, Prime Minister Mark Carney thinks it’s time Canada does the same.

Is Mark Carney making a big mistake by not following Norway’s highly successful wealth fund plan?

Is Mark Carney making a big mistake by not following Norway’s highly successful wealth fund plan?

The thing about the new Canadian “sovereign wealth fund” (SWF) announced on Monday by Prime Minister Mark Carney is that, judging by what we know so far, it’ll be pretty much the opposite of what he’s comparing it to. The prime minister cited Norway as a leading example of a country with a successful SWF — and so it is...

Mark Carney looks for investment the Liberal way

Mark Carney looks for investment the Liberal way

For all the talk that Prime Minister Mark Carney is a small-c conservative his announcement that Canada will create a sovereign wealth fund was a confirmation of his capital-L Liberal predilections. The form of the fund might be a little surprising, given that the sovereign wealth funds of resource-rich nations are usually seeded with windfall earnings socked away for the...

Max Fawcett's beef with Poilievre (and me)

Max Fawcett's beef with Poilievre (and me)

My March podcast interview with Pierre Poilievre drew a lot of attention, but one of the sharpest responses came from Max Fawcett, an award-winning Calgary journalist who’s been sharply critical of the notion that the West’s resource sector is singled out for mistreatment. Max just flat cancelled his subscription to this newsletter, and tore a strip off me on Bluesky...



Why Canada’s supply management system is going to disappear

Why Canada’s supply management system is going to disappear

Asked about how he went bankrupt, one of the characters in Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises replies, “gradually, then suddenly.” That’s what’s in store for Canada’s supply management system, an outdated, regressive policy from the 1970s that protects the dairy and poultry sectors by artificially raising consumer prices and drastically restricting imports. It will disappear, gradually then suddenly...

A wealth fund that isn't starting with excess wealth

A wealth fund that isn't starting with excess wealth

Sovereign wealth funds are typically established by countries to manage their surplus wealth. Canada has just established the Canada Strong Fund — this country’s first national sovereign wealth fund — despite being deeply in the red. In short, there is no surplus wealth to manage.

Canadians should brace themselves for possibly extreme measures from Trump

Canadians should brace themselves for possibly extreme measures from Trump

No Canadian prime minister has ever faced a more difficult relationship with an American president than Prime Minister Mark Carney does with Donald Trump.

Carney is preparing us for something, we’re just not sure what

Carney is preparing us for something, we’re just not sure what

Like others, my immediate thoughts upon watching Prime Minister Mark Carney’s “Forward Guidance” video was a comparison to former United States president Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “fireside chats” during the 1930s and ’40s. FDR used these chats for several purposes but, like Carney, most importantly they were a way of communicating directly with voters without the filters of media. FDR’s chats...

A USMCA defensive action that can’t really buy peace

A USMCA defensive action that can’t really buy peace

It’s nice that U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen got a few cheers in Canada for taking U.S. officials to task for their insults. But it’s the injury that is the real problem. Ms. Shaheen snapped back at U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who had recently said his Canadian counterparts “suck” and complained during a Senate subcommittee hearing last week that liquor...

Behind the trade talk bluster, Donald Trump is panicking. This is how Canada should respond

Behind the trade talk bluster, Donald Trump is panicking. This is how Canada should respond

You wouldn’t know it, from their usual delusional bluster, but Donald Trump’s team is starting to panic. And perhaps they should. The president’s popularity is plummeting. One clear reason: the economic revolution he promised has turned into a catastrophe.



Is Canada becoming a one-party state?

Is Canada becoming a one-party state?

While the federal Liberals smugly refer to themselves as Canada’s natural governing party, the historical record suggests that may be true, despite the danger it poses to democracy.

Doug Ford’s problem wasn’t the plane, it was the politics

Doug Ford’s problem wasn’t the plane, it was the politics

Let me be clear: on the underlying question, Doug Ford was right.

By taunting Mark Carney, Donald Trump’s trade team is only helping Canada

By taunting Mark Carney, Donald Trump’s trade team is only helping Canada

If U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration hoped to strengthen Canada’s hand in trade talks, it could hardly have done a better job. This week, the U.S. deputy trade representative Rick Switzer told the Council of Foreign Relations that Prime Minister Mark Carney is guilty of “political malpractice” for pitting himself politically against the president, that he’s driven by his “ego,”...

The important questions raised by Parliament's game of musical chairs

The important questions raised by Parliament's game of musical chairs

With Liberal MPs holding a majority of seats in the House of Commons, government House leader Steven MacKinnon moved a motion on Thursday that would see that majority reflected in the allotment of seats on House committees. This would be an entirely remarkable development — the sort of procedural housekeeping that occurs at the start of each Parliament — except...

With a Little Help from his Friends: Mark Carney’s New Trade Committee

With a Little Help from his Friends: Mark Carney’s New Trade Committee

In the classic Canadian tradition of diffusing the pain by enlarging the official target field, Prime Minister Mark Carney this week unveiled a 24-member Advisory Committee on Canada-US Economic Relations to buttress his negotiating team heading into the looming CUSMA review with the United States and Mexico. The committee is composed of some pan-partisan political figures, from former federal Tory...

Trump may be temporary. The damage he is doing isn’t

Trump may be temporary. The damage he is doing isn’t

Was John Turner right? Is Donald Trump’s weaponization of Canada’s dependence on trade with the United States vindication of the Liberal leader’s dire prophecies during the 1988 election campaign? Is this the bitter fruit of the Mulroney government’s decision, all those years ago, to sign a free-trade agreement with the United States?

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Canada’s partnership with Hanwha could create thousands of jobs in auto plants: expert

Canada’s partnership with Hanwha could create thousands of jobs in auto plants: expert

Hanwha’s submarine bid has within a few short months become a potential lifeline for Canada’s auto industry. The South Korean corporation is partnering with the Auto Parts Manufacturers Association (APMA) to build military armoured vehicles in Canada. It’s a strategy that could help it win a lucrative contract and keep the tariff-hit auto sector from sinking further. The vehicles would...

Canada selected to host new multinational defence bank, sources say

Canada selected to host new multinational defence bank, sources say

Canada has been selected as the host nation of a new multinational defence bank as negotiations among the founding countries ended in Montreal on Wednesday, according to two sources. The decision was made after the final of three rounds of negotiations hosted by Canada and involving the 19 founding countries of the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank.

Meet the man turning Canada’s defence procurement upside down

Meet the man turning Canada’s defence procurement upside down

Eliot Pence of Dominion Dynamics is using venture capital to build military equipment he hopes the government will one day buy. When Eliot Pence needed a name for the high-tech drone factory he has established in an Ottawa industrial park, he turned to what some might consider an unlikely inspiration: the swashbuckling coureur des bois of Canada’s past.

Carney government eyes privatizing airports to attract investment, cut travel costs

Carney government eyes privatizing airports to attract investment, cut travel costs

The federal Liberal government is looking at selling Canadian airports off to private owners saying it wants to streamline operations and passenger services, attract more business investment to Canada, and even direct possible proceeds into a national sovereign wealth fund. The morning after the spring economic update hinted at the government’s plans, Transport Minister Steven Mac

Federal government earmarks $145M for World Cup security in Toronto, Vancouver

Federal government earmarks $145M for World Cup security in Toronto, Vancouver

TORONTO -- Police presence in Toronto during the World Cup may be "stronger than we've ever seen at any event," the force said Wednesday as the federal government announced up to $145 million for security over the upcoming soccer tournament.

Critics call out Ottawa for not contesting Iran joining UN nuclear weapons conference

Critics call out Ottawa for not contesting Iran joining UN nuclear weapons conference

OTTAWA -- Conservative MPs are calling out the government of Prime Minister Mark Carney after its representatives failed to follow allies in proactively challenging Iran's nomination to two United Nations bodies -- including one tasked with reviewing a landmark treaty on nuclear weapons.

Labour groups welcome federal spending commitments on skilled trades

Labour groups welcome federal spending commitments on skilled trades

TORONTO -- The federal government's plan to spend billions of dollars to increase the number of skilled trades workers is being welcomed by labour groups who say it will help bridge gaps in the system.

Iranian soccer officials turned away from Canada ahead of FIFA meeting

Iranian soccer officials turned away from Canada ahead of FIFA meeting

OTTAWA -- Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says it's her "understanding" that Iranian soccer officials saw their permission to enter Canada revoked ahead of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver.

Conservative MP in Kitchener, Ont., says Liberals tried to convince her to cross the floor

Conservative MP in Kitchener, Ont., says Liberals tried to convince her to cross the floor

MP Kelly DeRidder described details of a phone call she received from Liberals in social post. An Ontario Conservative MP says she will not be crossing the floor anytime soon, despite an attempt from the Liberal Party to poach her. Kitchener Centre MP Kelly DeRidder says she got a phone call from the Liberal Party, trying to convince her that...

Carney says clean electricity strategy promised weeks ago is still on its way

Carney says clean electricity strategy promised weeks ago is still on its way

The federal government still has not announced its clean electricity strategy, despite Prime Minister Mark Carney saying it would land weeks ago. At a news conference in Halifax on March 26, Carney told reporters the government would be releasing "next week" a strategy to expa

NATO looking at Canadian aircraft for its new airborne warning fleet

NATO looking at Canadian aircraft for its new airborne warning fleet

Canada’s aerospace industry could be in for windfall with news that NATO has selected a new fleet of airborne warning planes based on Canadian aircraft outfitted with Swedish technology. The French defence publication La Lettre and the German press agency DPA are reporting NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency selected Sweden’s Saab and Canada’s Bombardier to replace the alliance’s current fleet...

Tories accuse Liberals of shutting down public debate in parliamentary committees

Tories accuse Liberals of shutting down public debate in parliamentary committees

The Conservatives say the Liberals wasted no time shutting down public debate at two House of Commons committees after securing their majority this week. On Tuesday, the health and ethics committees welcomed new Liberal MPs, giving the government a majority of members. Minutes into both meetings, the Liberal members used their majorities to send the debates into closed-door sessions.

Ford in Freefall; Ontario Liberals Lead PCs

Ford in Freefall; Ontario Liberals Lead PCs

The latest Liaison Strategies survey for Ontario shows the PCs trailing the Liberals by 2 points. It is the first time the PCs have trailed since Liaison began its monthly tracking series of Ontario. The PCs led by Doug Ford would garner 36% of the decided and leaning vote compared to the Ontario Liberals at 38%. The Ontario NDP sits...

Higher oil prices set to give feds a 'windfall' in next budget

Higher oil prices set to give feds a 'windfall' in next budget

Government building budget on 'conservative' estimates, even as global currents force prices up. Global energy markets continue to reel from the ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. The price of oil is sitting around $100 US a barrel, but Tuesday's spring economic update used much lower prices to build the budget. For this year, the economic update assumes the...

King Charles subtly jabs at Trump in historic address while also calling for closer co-operation

King Charles subtly jabs at Trump in historic address while also calling for closer co-operation

King Charles delivered a historic address to the U.S. Congress Tuesday that was replete with calls for better relations between Britain and the States but also some subtle jabs at his host, President Donald Trump. Charles used that grand Washington stage to gently correct the record on NATO's past support for the U.S., stand up for the Royal Navy after...

As Mexico and U.S. are set to start the CUSMA review, Canada continues waiting game

As Mexico and U.S. are set to start the CUSMA review, Canada continues waiting game

With Mexico and the United States planning to convene for formal bilateral talks for the review of the North American trade pact, Conservative MPs are questioning Canada’s “go slow” strategy, but analysts say waiting out the U.S. is the best path forward.

King Charles spent 24 hours in Canada. Here’s how much it cost taxpayers.

King Charles spent 24 hours in Canada. Here’s how much it cost taxpayers.

King Charles’ 24-hour trip to Ottawa last May cost Canadian taxpayers at least $2.6 million. According to data obtained by CTVNews.ca, costs for the overnight trip included almost $870,000 for a ceremonial air force flyover, nearly $860,000 in police expenses and close to $370,000 for air and ground transportation. Charles visited Ottawa with Queen Camilla on May 26 and 27...

South Korea sweetens submarine bid, will manufacture armoured vehicles in Canada if chosen

South Korea sweetens submarine bid, will manufacture armoured vehicles in Canada if chosen

Under pressure to increase economic benefits to Canadians, South Korea’s Hanwha is committing to manufacturing armoured battle vehicles in Canada if it’s awarded the lucrative contract to build the Royal Canadian Navy’s next fleet of submarines. CTV News has learned that Hanwha has signed a partnership agreement with members of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association (APMA) build its K9 vehicles...

Newfoundland and Labrador's new Tory government expected to table budget today

Newfoundland and Labrador's new Tory government expected to table budget today

The Progressive Conservative government in Newfoundland and Labrador is set to table their spending plan for the indebted province's year ahead. Finance Minister Craig Pardy's budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year is expected to come with a deficit, though he hasn't given many hints on what the shortfall may be. He has, however, said that he expected the fiscal year...

As Trump readies forced-labour tariffs, Canada hopes for another reprieve

As Trump readies forced-labour tariffs, Canada hopes for another reprieve

Canadians are tiring of Donald Trump’s favourite word, “tariffs,” but they may need to brace for even more of them. Last month, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) launched investigations into 60 economies, including Canada, under Section 301(b) of the Trade Act of 1974 to determine whether they have failed to impose and enforce a ban on imports produced with...

Federal government to spend up to $145M for security at World Cup events in Toronto, Vancouver

Federal government to spend up to $145M for security at World Cup events in Toronto, Vancouver

The federal government is allocating up to $145 million for security during the upcoming World Cup. Canada is co-hosting with the United States and Mexico, with thirteen matches scheduled to take place in Toronto and Vancouver this June and July. The government said in a new release the funding is in response to "specific operational needs identified by the host...

Defence Investment Agency to be given new authority, oversight

Defence Investment Agency to be given new authority, oversight

OTTAWA -- A new government office tasked with purchasing the most expensive equipment for the military is about to be upgraded to give it new independence and oversight, according to the Liberal government's spring economic update.

Liberals target affordability to meet era of uncertainty in spring fiscal update

Liberals target affordability to meet era of uncertainty in spring fiscal update

The federal Liberals say they're getting a windfall from better-than-expected fiscal revenues and are largely putting that money back into circulation to support households and build up the economy. But Ottawa's spring economic update also sees some darker clouds on the horizon as uncertainty over the Iran war and U.S. tariffs threatens growth in the years ahead. Finance Minister Francois-Philippe...

Liberals table first fiscal document in seven years that won't need opposition votes

Liberals table first fiscal document in seven years that won't need opposition votes

The Liberal government released a spring economic update Tuesday closely focused on boosting investment and job training. While the document contains measures that likely would face pushback from the opposition, the Liberals — thanks to their new parliamentary majority — won't have to worry about securing opposition votes to pass it. The thin document served mostly to provide a mid-year...

Carney Liberals launching new skilled training strategy, deficit projected at $65.3B

Carney Liberals launching new skilled training strategy, deficit projected at $65.3B

In its first-ever spring economic update, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s newly minted majority government is promising to spend billions on a strategy to train more skilled workers to help deliver on its plans to build big. The revised fiscal outlook also shows that while the federal deficit is $11. 4 billion lower in the current fiscal year than what was...

Ottawa outlines plans to tackle financial crime, ban crypto ATMs

Ottawa outlines plans to tackle financial crime, ban crypto ATMs

OTTAWA -- The federal government plans to ban cryptocurrency ATMs as part of a suite of measures in its spring economic statement targeting financial crimes.

Liberals on better-than-expected ground, plan to spend billions on skilled trades in economic update

Liberals on better-than-expected ground, plan to spend billions on skilled trades in economic update

Projections put deficit $11.5B lower than November budget. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne's spring economic update finds the Liberal government sitting in a better-than-expected position — driven by a resilient economy and surging oil prices — which it's using to justify billions in new spending to train up tens of thousands of skilled workers and set up a sovereign wealth fund...

Feds outline $4.3B for Indigenous education, health in spring economic update

Feds outline $4.3B for Indigenous education, health in spring economic update

OTTAWA -- The federal government is promising $4.3 billion for First Nations education, Inuit food security and Indigenous child welfare in its spring economic update.

Feds formalize enhanced oil recovery tax credit flip-flop in spring economic update

Feds formalize enhanced oil recovery tax credit flip-flop in spring economic update

OTTAWA -- The federal government's spring economic update today formalizes a pivot in climate policy that was first made in last year's energy agreement with Alberta.

Big spending, smaller deficit: key numbers from the spring economic update

Big spending, smaller deficit: key numbers from the spring economic update

OTTAWA -- Here's a brief look at some of the key numbers in the Liberal government's 2026 spring economic update:



US Poli

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Supreme Court hollows out a landmark law that had protected minority voting rights for 6 decades

Supreme Court hollows out a landmark law that had protected minority voting rights for 6 decades

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Lyndon B. Johnson knew the legislation he was about to sign was momentous, one that took courage for certain members of Congress to pass since the vote could cost them their seats.

The Black Caucus is the 'conscience of Congress.' Supreme Court ruling has it bracing for a big hit

The Black Caucus is the 'conscience of Congress.' Supreme Court ruling has it bracing for a big hit

Black members of Congress are bracing for a crippling shakeup of their ranks after a Supreme Court ruling gutted a key section of the Voting Rights Act that had protected minority communities in political redistricting and helped boost their representation.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla begin New York trip by honoring victims at the 9/11 Memorial

King Charles III and Queen Camilla begin New York trip by honoring victims at the 9/11 Memorial

NEW YORK (AP) -- King Charles III and Queen Camilla began their trip to New York City on Wednesday with a visit to the National 9/11 Memorial, where they honored victims of the 2001 attacks and spoke with relatives of those who died.

Supreme Court mulls Trump administration push to end protections for migrants from Haiti and Syria

Supreme Court mulls Trump administration push to end protections for migrants from Haiti and Syria

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday mulled the Trump administration's push to end legal protections for migrants fleeing war and natural disaster, in one in a series of immigration cases the justices are considering against the backdrop of the president's far-reaching crackdown.

International

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Oil prices hit new wartime high before easing, as few signs of breaking stalemate with Iran- Prices briefly rose about $126 US, the highest since March 2022

Oil prices hit new wartime high before easing, as few signs of breaking stalemate with Iran- Prices briefly rose about $126 US, the highest since March 2022

The price of Brent crude oil briefly surged past $126 US a barrel early Thursday as stalled U.S.-Iran talks raised doubts over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a permanent end to the Iran war. Brent crude to be delivered in June jumped 3.3 per cent to $121.90 after briefly soaring past $126 per barrel, the highest since...

United Arab Emirates says it will leave OPEC, a blow to the oil cartel

United Arab Emirates says it will leave OPEC, a blow to the oil cartel

The United Arab Emirates said Tuesday it will leave OPEC effective May 1, stripping the oil cartel of one of its largest producers and further weakening its leverage over global oil supplies and prices. The UAE's decision had been rumored as a possibility for some time, as it pushed back in recent years against OPEC production quotas it felt had...

White House says suspect in Correspondents’ Dinner shooting wanted to target Trump officials

White House says suspect in Correspondents’ Dinner shooting wanted to target Trump officials

President Donald Trump and top officials were rushed to safety after shots were fired near stairs leading down to the main ballroom.

Ottawa announces 'incremental increase' in direct flights to China

Ottawa announces 'incremental increase' in direct flights to China

Ottawa has announced an increase in the number of direct flights permitted to bring passengers and cargo to and from China. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon says there will be "an incremental increase" in flights between the countries in response to Prime Minister Mark Carney's outreach visit to Beijing in January. Canadian and Chinese airlines will be allowed to boost the...

Two Indian ships come under fire in Strait of Hormuz after Iran reasserts control

Two Indian ships come under fire in Strait of Hormuz after Iran reasserts control

The strait will not be fully reopened “until America allows full freedom of navigation for vessels traveling from Iran,” Iranian military officials indicated. Iranian military officials said Saturday that conditions in the Strait of Hormuz have reverted to "strict control," citing the continued U.S. blockade of its ports, just one day after declaring the waterway “completely open.”

Think Tank

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Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy is Now More Robust than Ever. But Will Carney Deliver?

Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy is Now More Robust than Ever. But Will Carney Deliver?

The first year of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s leadership has had a transformational impact on both Canada’s foreign policy and its standing in the world. The shift has been especially evident in the Indo-Pacific, where Ottawa is more active, more strategic, and more ambitious than it has ever been.

Reclaiming control, restoring caution – Fixing Canada’s broken immigration system

Reclaiming control, restoring caution – Fixing Canada’s broken immigration system

Canada’s long-standing openness helped build one of the world’s most respected immigration systems. However, the intellectual establishment’s push for ever-expanding “inclusivity” has driven that openness beyond what many Canadians consider reasonable.

Do Candidates in Canadian Elections Share the Same Views as Their Constituents on the Division of Powers within the Federation?

Do Candidates in Canadian Elections Share the Same Views as Their Constituents on the Division of Powers within the Federation?

A comparison of two separate surveys conducted during the 2021 and 2025 election years shows a misalignment between the positions of election candidates and those of their constituents on the division of powers in Canada. While the views of candidates and voters were relatively close on this issue in 2021, the gap widened in 2025. The percentage of voters who...


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A collection of SubStack publishing within Canadian public affairs.

Real climate action requires near-term mandates with teeth

Real climate action requires near-term mandates with teeth

Earlier this month, the federal government quietly released its annual inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, now with data up to 2024. The news was not good. Carbon pollution reduction effectively stalled in 2024 (down a measly 0.3 per cent from the previous year and down only 10 per cent from 2005). Canada, simply put, is not on the trajectory...

Move over Mark Carney: it's Pope Leo

Move over Mark Carney: it's Pope Leo

I nearly drove off the road when I heard Pope Leo’s powerful message on the radio this week.

Complaining about access-to-info complaints

Complaining about access-to-info complaints

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office wants to bust up a monopoly. I think I’m the target. Let me explain. The Privy Council Office (PCO), home of the prime minister and cabinet, has been flooded with complaints about its failures to comply with the Access to Information Act.

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Special Edition: François-Philippe Champagne, beyond 200 seconds on uncertainty and the economy

Special Edition: François-Philippe Champagne, beyond 200 seconds on uncertainty and the economy

On this special edition, Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Mickey Djuric speak with Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne ahead of the release of his Spring Economic Update. They press him on how the government plans to attract investment in a time of global uncertainty, and find out how it is balancing fiscal prudence with mounting economic pressures. And finally, the most contentious question...

Mark Carney’s economic update

Mark Carney’s economic update

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government has delivered its spring economic update amidst an unpredictable global backdrop. It included a better-than-expected deficit figure and billions of dollars for skilled trades workers, as well as a sovereign wealth fund. Senior business correspondent Peter Armstrong breaks down what the document tells us about Canada’s finances and the Liberal government’s priorities.

Takeaways from the Liberals’ first economic update as a majority

Takeaways from the Liberals’ first economic update as a majority

The Liberals’ spring economic update lays out $54-billion in new spending over six years, including $6-billion towards boosting employment in the trades and more money for sports. The update also shows an estimated deficit of $66.9-billion for the 2025-26 fiscal year, an $11.5-billion improvement over what the government had projected in the Nov. 4 budget.

Moore-Butts: Do Advisory Council's Make A Difference Or Are They Just Show?

Moore-Butts: Do Advisory Council's Make A Difference Or Are They Just Show?

Amid much fanfare the government announced last week that it has established a new advisory council on trade with emphasis on the challenging situation with the United States. Looks impressive with some big names and a non partisan flavour. But do these work or are they just a gimmick? Former Harper cabinet minister James Moore and former Trudeau PMO adviser...